


Into the Game

by bananawrites



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Fluff, Humor, Markiplier - Freeform, Multi, Plot Twists, Septiplier - Freeform, i'll add more to the tags as i write more chapters!, jacksepticeye - Freeform, kind of, there will definitely be some fluff in there somewhere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 04:46:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10609548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bananawrites/pseuds/bananawrites
Summary: He could hear his new friends laughing, and Jack immediately felt embarrassed. Just as he was about to tune into the vital information, he heard someone clear their throat in the seat to his right. Danny.“What, Danny?” Jack whispered, trying to at least keep his eyes glued to the man on the stage.“Uh- it’s Mark, actually. And you’re kinda holding my hand right now.”Oh. Jack had been clutching the armrest, sure. But this guy- Mark- his hand had been on it, too.Oh, shit.As if it had been planted on the surface of a stove, Jack’s hand sprung off of the armrest- no, Mark’s hand- and landed in his lap. Where it would stay.Now Danny and Arin were snickering amongst themselves, watching the awkward encounter with gleaming eyes of amusement. Jack would get them back. Somehow. “Sorry.” He whispered to Mark, leaning back into his seat and heaving a big sigh. This day already sucked beyond belief. But, no, he had to go and grab some random guy’s hand as well.“Don't worry about it. It’s okay to be gay.” Mark whispered back, causing the other two to snort. The Irishman swore he could see the other man’s grin glint in the darkness of the auditorium.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE PROCEEDING!
> 
> Hi there! I'm Banana, the author of this fanfiction. I'd like to give you some important information before you read!
> 
> 1\. I've posted this story before, but I deleted it. I've edited it now and revised it for re-posting! If you've already read this fanfiction before, welcome back!
> 
> 2\. AMULA is not a real college. It doesn't exist in real life. I made it up, and you'll see why once you've read this chapter.
> 
> 3\. I know the beginning has a slow start with some original characters, but they will not be the focus of the fanfiction (obviously). Give them a chance, I think you might like them!
> 
> 4\. While this fanfiction is about real people, this entire fanfiction is fake... spoiler alert. I respect the relationships of these characters in real life. I merely enjoy the AU ideas for this ship and writing the characters.
> 
> 5\. ENJOY THE STORY! Stay tuned for the end notes to see my tumblr url!

Jack’s feet were now planted within The United States of America. LAX buzzed behind him, people rushing about like mad and shouting into the sky. He’d never been to a place as crowded as this. His durable, green suitcase was pressed up against his leg, and Jack was clenching its handle as if it was the only thing allowing him to stand. A frenzy of cars were bustling around the front of the airport, yet Jack was looking for a particular vehicle.

 

And… unfortunately, its arrival was taking forever. Hundreds of cars had come and gone, yet none of them had been his ride. Jack consistently checked his watch, biting his lower lip anxiously every time he did so. It had only been around twenty minutes, yet he couldn’t help but worry. What if they had gotten the date wrong? What if they showed up tomorrow instead of today?

 

Of course, one would think that Jack could always send them a quick text, but that option was quickly weighed out. The poor young man had killed the battery of his phone upon watching a movie he’d downloaded prior to the trip. But hey,  _ Peter Pan _ was totally worth it. Besides, his charger had become lost in the depths of his tightly packed suitcase. There was no way he could charge it until he was safe within the home of his friends. Running back inside of the airport to charge it would prevent him from catching his ride, too.

 

...If it was going to arrive at all. So in short, he was screwed. Just as Jack was about to wander around and find a bench to camp out on, a loud  _ honk  _ of a horn sounded, causing him to jump nearly five feet into the air. God, why did people have to do that? He turned around, eyes widening upon realizing that the source was none other than his ride. A bright, orange Honda Element that stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the greys and blues. The one window that he could see was rolled down, and a head was poking out of it. He recognized that messy mop of sandy blonde hair anywhere.  _ Major! _

 

“C’mon, Jack! The back seat is calling your name!” He crowed, popping his door open and slipping out of it with ease. Jack was positively beaming, his cheeks aching as he sprinted to the car and dragged his suitcase along. Major pulled the back door open with a grin equally as wide, gesturing with a little  _ “Ta-da!”  _

 

“Wow, nice! This car’s kinda big!” Jack commented, staring into the back with curios sky-blue eyes. His hair was definitely going to be brushing against the roof. Jack turned back to Major and gave his old friend a quick- yet meaningful- hug before assessing the backseat and how he was going to get in.

 

“Thanks, man. Hey Pierce, pop the trunk!” Major called, waiting for Jack to clamber into the backseat. Once he was situated, Jack attempted to reach back and snag his suitcase. Major slapped his hand. “Ah-ah-ah! Let me be a nice guy and put it in the trunk for ya.”

 

Jack chuckled and leaned back against his seat, buckling himself. “Thanks!”

 

As Major made his way to the trunk with Jack’s luggage, Pierce turned around and smiled apologetically at Jack. “Sorry we’re late. We grabbed a little somethin’ on the way.” He explained, turning back to the front momentarily and rummaging around for… something. The Irishman grinned at the back of his head, noting the difference in their hairstyles right away. Jack had floofy, green hair whilst Pierce had short cropped brown hair that was dark enough to appear black.

 

“Hey, no worries. I’m just glad ya showed up in the first place!” Jack joked, his chest swelling with joy and excitement. He could already tell that this entire journey was going to be quite the adventure. The green-haired man heard Major suddenly slam the trunk closed, startling him a bit. The adrenaline churning in his blood was making him a bit jumpy.

 

“Why wouldn’t we? Here,” Pierce said, tossing a colorful bag into Jack’s lap, “figured you’d be hungry.”

 

Jack caught the bag all too eagerly, the scent of fresh french fries snaking into his nostrils invitingly. He turned the bag around and read the front.  _ McDonalds _ .

 

Just as he practically ripped the bag open, Major slid into the passenger seat and smirked at his old friend. “Welcome to America, Jack.”

 

 

 

Pierce drove them home in the nick of time, the radio blasting  _ My Boo  _ by  _ Ghost Town DJ _ . Major was singing at the top of his lungs with terrible tuning, and Jack was trying his best not choke on his McDouble due to his laughing fit. He’d join in on the singing session if it weren’t for the fact that he was scarfing down the contents of the greasy McDonalds bag.

 

They pulled up to the large house, and Jack couldn't help but stare at it in awe. It was nothing like his apartment back in Ireland. The radio cut out as soon as Pierce yanked the keys out of the ignition. Major continued his awful singing anyway, causing Jack to chuckle even louder as he unbuckled himself.

 

“ _ AT NIGHT, I THINK OF YOUUUUU! _ ” Major shrieked, attempting to dance in his seat by flailing his arms around like an awkward mime.

 

“God, please stop.” Pierce begged, slipping out of the car and holding the back door open for Jack. Jack gave his friend a look of gratitude before sliding out, holding onto the bag of food as if it were a life source.

 

“It’s a free country, you ass.” Major argued, yet stopped his awful singing anyway. He jumped out of the car and walked around to where the others stood, smiling as he threw an arm around Jack’s shoulders. “Well, Jack, here it is! Welcome to our humble abode that  _ you _ are now a part of.”

 

Jack swallowed his mouthful of fries and took it all in graciously. “Holy fuck… It looks so expensive!” He exclaimed, his mind completely blown. The outside walls of the house were a comforting, light blue. There were other colors of various shades, such as  chestnut browns and royal purples, splashed about on the shutters and the roof. From the looks of it, there were two floors and a garage. Over all, it practically screamed  _ inviting _ . “How do you afford this shit?” He asked in disbelief, turning to look at Major. Pierce had retreated to the trunk of the car to retrieve Jack’s luggage.

 

“I’m an assassin.” Major shrugged as if it weren’t a big deal, lifting his arm off of Jack.

 

Jack could hear Pierce laugh sarcastically from the back of the vehicle. “Yeah, sure. I told you Assasins Creed would have a bad influence on you.” He pointed out smugly.

 

“Dude, I’m practically the  _ embodiment _ of a bad influence.” Major countered.

 

“No, wait, you’re shittin’ me. You’re really an assassin?” Jack asked,balling his eyes out.

 

“Either you’re really gullible or the jet lag fucked you up.” Major snorted. “I’m guessing it’s the second option.”

 

Pierce pushed the both of them toward the front door. “C’mon, let’s go. Jack’s gotta rest up if he’s gonna start his classes tomorrow.”

 

Jack watched Pierce fiddle with the keys once they stepped onto the white porch, his beefy arms tensing every time they almost fell to the ground. “No, seriously, how do ya manage to pay for somethin’ like this? In L.A. of all places!”

 

“I used to be a bodyguard.” Pierce answered before Major could make something up again, jamming the correct key into the keyhole with a sigh of relief.

 

“For real this time?” The young Irishman asked, his jaw dropping. Major took a couple fries from the wrinkly bag and jammed them into Jack’s open mouth with a snicker.

 

“Yep.” Pierce answered, opening the door and holding it open for them.

 

“Thaf’s cfrazfy!” Jack exclaimed with a full mouth, little grains of salt flying everywhere. He quickly chewed them up and swallowed, walking into the house after Major ran in and disappeared. Pierce shut the door behind them, and Jack whipped around. “Wait, who were ya guardin,’ then?”

 

“The president.” Pierce responded, not missing a beat.

 

Jack’s heart nearly stopped. “No fuckin’ way. You’ve gotta be fuckin’ with me right now. Are ya?”

 

“Kind of.” Pierce smirked, shrugging his shoulders. “I used to be some sort of back up guy. They never needed me, to say the least. I only had to be on duty when he visited L.A., which was rare.” He explained, setting the keys down beside the door on a miniature table. “So I quit. But that was after I got a lot of money.”

 

“Why’d ya quit? You’re insane!” Jack nearly screamed, his level of disbelief skyrocketing.

 

“Bodyguarding the president is dangerous, man. And to add to that, I don’t like it. It only paid the bills.”

 

“Yeah, and bought ya a fuckin’ house.” Jack huffed, looking around said place with bright eyes. It was nothing short of marvelous!

 

“I just wanted the best for my little sister and I. Now I have a job at the Jamba Juice down the street. We passed it on the way here, in fact.” Pierce smiled.

 

“Do ya get free smoothies?” The Irishman asked out of pure curiosity, making his way into the kitchen in order to toss the empty McDonalds bag in the trash. He noted that Major was spread out on the large couch in the living room, his lively green eyes glued to the TV. It seemed awfully cozy.

 

“Sure do.” Pierce nodded, starting to pull Jack’s luggage up the stairs. Jack jogged after him.

 

“Hey, wait, I can do that.” Jack offered, feeling guilty.

 

“Nah, man. You're the guest. Just take it easy. You can follow me to the spare room, though.”

 

“Alright, thanks!” Jack responded with a smile, defeated by hospitality. He trailed after Pierce up the stairs, the both of them stopping by the door that looked more plain than the rest. Jack observed that it was the room closest to the stairs as well. The door next to the one they’d stopped by had several pictures and posters slapped across it.

 

“This is the one.” Pierce announced, nudging the door open with his knee and walking inside. Jack followed after him like a duckling, eyes scanning his new surroundings eagerly. The walls were a faded white color, yet there was a poster tacked up beside the window that seemed to brighten the room. It was an extremely colorful Beach Boys poster, and the five members of the band grinned at him from ear to ear. They looked so happy! Jack’s eyes slid to the window, his feet shuffling against the fuzzy carpet as he approached it. He could see into the grassy backyard, noting the edge of the swimming pool that peeked out from behind the blue wall. No doubt he’d be swimming in that very soon. The Irishman could also see into the neighbor's yard, raising his eyebrows upon discovering that it was infested with fancy statues and flowers. Hell, there was even a fountain smacked right in the middle of it all. Jack turned away from the little window, spotting a small, old fashion TV perched upon a brown dresser drawer. That’d be a good place to keep his stuff that he wouldn’t be taking to the dorm.

 

“Sorry, it’s not much. We’ve had friends come and go, but they usually crash on the couch downstairs.” Pierce interrupted his thoughts, gesturing to the double bed, “Because of that, the bed’s got fresh sheets. Everything on it’s brand new. No one’s ever slept in it.”

 

Jack beamed. “Aw, sweet! Am I the guinea pig for this bed?”

 

Pierce chuckled. “Sure. The green, Irish guinea pig.” He agreed, pointing to the closet. “You’ve got a closet there, too. Just in case. You’re probably gonna keep your clothes in your dorm, though. But it’s great back-up.”

 

The green-haired man nodded, eyeing it. “Yeah, I’ll probably leave a bit of clothes here, if that’s cool. Good idea.”

 

“No problem. Anyway, bathroom’s down the hall and to the left. Make sure you lock it, we’ve got a lady in the house. If you’ve really gotta piss and someone’s in there, you can use the one downstairs.” Pierce explained, backing out of the room. “If you need me, I’ll be-”

 

“Hey, did you get me a McChicken?” A feminine voice interrupted from outside the door.

 

“Yeah, it’s in the car. I’ll go get it in a sec. Come meet my friend, he’s gonna be staying with us.” Pierce said with a smile, gesturing for Jack to come out into the hall. Obeying, Jack quickly moved out of the room and gazed upon the stranger with kind eyes.

 

“Jack, this is my sister, Brianna. Bri, this is Jack. He’s my old friend from Ireland and he’s gonna be staying here on weekends and holidays.” Pierce introduced, gesturing to each person at the appropriate times. Jack gave Brianna a wide grin, waving his right hand enthusiastically. Brianna was evidently younger than him, and Pierce had talked about their phenomenal age gap in the past over Skype and in person. She had short layered chestnut hair, a style that made her face appear very chipper. He noted that she was wearing vibrant pajamas and had headphones in, presumably attached to the phone in her pocket.

 

“Oh, hi! Nice to meet you!” Brianna greeted Jack, holding her hand out with a grin. Jack took her hand and gave it a good shake. She turned to Pierce and furrowed her eyebrows. “Wait, I’ve never heard of this guy. Why is he here again?”

 

Pierce gave her a stern look, but Jack was laughing. “Remember when I went to Europe with dad and Major when I was your age? He was my buddy when I stayed in Ireland. We’ve been friends ever since. He’s going to college here.”

 

“Oh yeah, the cool Irish guy! That’s nice!” She chirped after a moment, giving Jack a look of fascination. “What’s it like in Ireland?”

 

Jack faltered, his tired mind fizzing. “Well, uh-”

 

“You guys talk with each other while I go grab that McChicken.” Pierce interrupted, jogging down the hall and disappearing down the stairs.

 

“Wait- you get to stay in the spare room? Cool!” Brianna exclaimed, grin widening. Jack quickly observed that her enthusiasm was already extending through the roof. “Oh. Sorry, I get super excited about stuff really easily.” She apologized, immediately withdrawing.

 

“No, it’s okay! I get it!” Jack reassured her, gazing into the room with a nod. “Yeah, I’ll be loungin’ around in there on weekends. Guess we’re neighbors!”

 

Brianna laughed. “Sounds nice! So Jack, tell me about yourself.” She asked, curiosity in her eyes. “What college are you going to?’”

 

“The Art and Music University of L.A. Or AMULA for short.” Jack answered, looking back at the girl.

 

“That sounds fun. What are you gonna be working on there?” She asked, entering the room and strolling up to the poster. He followed her in, deciding not to stand in the hall like a weirdo.

 

“‘M gonna be workin’ with audio production. My sister nabbed all of my information and applied me to AMULA as a surprise. Her boyfriend used to go there, and he was one of the best students to ever graduate from it. They told me about it all once I’d gotten accepted.” Jack explained, his smile widening by the second. God, he loved his sister and brother in law. He couldn’t ask for better family members.

 

“That’s super nice, man. I’m glad you have cool family members.” She replied, turning back to him with a smile. “By the way, this was my poster. The room sucked, so I tried to make it a  _ little  _ better.”

 

Jack laughed. “I like it. I’ve never really paid attention to the Beach Boys before. Are they good?”

 

Brianna’s eyes widened. “Of course! Their songs just remind me of… I dunno, home. And happy days on the beach. Shit like that.” She immediately covered her mouth once the swear word slipped past her lips. “Sorry! Bad habit.”

 

Jack rolled his eyes playfully and pointed a finger at himself. “You’re tellin’  _ me _ ? I swear more than the average sailor!”

 

Before Brianna could respond, Pierce appeared in the doorway and sent the desired McChicken flying across the room. It hit Brianna in the mouth and she spluttered, stunned as it fell to the ground. Jack couldn’t help it; he laughed, covering his mouth. He could hear Pierce joining in almost immediately.

 

“You’re lucky it’s wrapped.” Brianna muttered, picking it up and hugging it to her chest protectively.

 

“Sure I am. Get out of here, kid, Jack has to sleep.” Pierce ordered, his voice becoming a bit stern.

 

“I’m seventeen, so I’m not a kid.” She argued, making her way to the door reluctantly and glaring daggers at her older brother.

 

Pierce ruffled her hair affectionately as Jack crossed his arms, a wide smile on his face. “Yeah, but you’ll always be a kid. Don’t stay up all night, okay? I don’t want you frying your brain by watching that Daz guy play video games.”

 

“It’s a free country.” She countered, already unwrapping her prized meal.

 

“You hang around Major too much.” Pierce said, shaking his head before turning to Jack. “Goodnight, man. I’m opening up at Jamba Juice, so I’m hittin’ the hay early tonight. If you want, I can give you a ride to your orientation thing and send you off with a free smoothie.”

 

Jack’s cheeks were going to explode at this point due to all of the smiling. “Hell fuckin’ yeah. Sign me up, dude!” He agreed excitedly.

 

“Great! I’ll wake you up tomorrow. See you then.” Pierce clapped his friend’s shoulder before leaving the room and making a beeline for the master bedroom.

 

Brianna grinned up at her new friend. “He’s super excited to have you here. We all are.”

 

“I’m excited to be here, too! I’m never gonna be able to sleep at this rate.” Jack chuckled, ruffling his hair.

 

Brianna’s smile softened. “ _ Friends _ is in the DVD player. All you gotta do is turn the TV on. That show works wonders. I used to fall asleep with it on all the time.”

 

Jack sighed happily. “Can you guys get any cooler? I feel right at home.”  _ Friends _ was one of the best comedy shows to ever exist. He knew the theme song by heart, much like millions of other people around the world.

 

“Good. And, hey…” Brianna started, putting her free hand on Jack’s arm. “Thanks for coming to stay here. Pierce has been kinda down lately, and he really needs a friend like you to come around. Plus, it’ll be interesting for me to have three older brothers in the house.”

 

“Wait, Major’s your brother?” Jack asked, bewildered. “And I am, too?”

 

Brianna laughed. “You really need your sleep. I meant that I’m excited for all of us to become great friends. Like family. I consider Major a brother, even if we’re not related by blood.”

 

Jack responded with a small “ _ Huh _ ,” his eyes drooping a bit. He’d gotten next to no sleep on the plane this time around, and everything was starting to slow down for the poor Irishman.

 

“Go to sleep, we can talk tomorrow. Can’t wait to hear about your orientation. Night!” Brianna chirped, slipping out the door and shutting it behind her. Jack managed to murmur a small goodnight before kneeling down in front of his suitcase. He unzipped it with great effort, eventually popping it open and pawing through it. After a moment, he pulled out some baggy plaid pajama pants and a plain, white t-shirt. It was the comfiest pajama combo he’d brought with him.

 

It took him less than a minute to change, a soft sigh immediately escaping him once he felt the soft clothing against his skin. Could it get any better than this? The young man snatched up the remote before switching the TV on, flopping onto the fresh bed and worming himself beneath the covers.

 

Before Joey could say his ever so famous “ _ How you doin’? _ ” line on the screen, Jack was already asleep.

 

 

Pierce did as he’d promised the night before, shaking Jack awake and telling him to get up in a hushed voice. Groaning, the young man rose from his temporary bed just as Pierce left the room. He eyed the TV, noting the fact that the  _ Friends _ menu was up on the screen. He shut it off and retreated to his suitcase, snagging a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt. He grabbed his grey and white beanie as well, deciding that it might bring him some luck since it was like a charm to him.

 

When Jack stepped out of the hall with clothes in hand, he ran into a grinning Major. “Hey, buddy. Sleep well?”

 

“Kinda. ‘M still tired as hell.” He answered in a raspy voice, scratching the back of his head. “But it was really comfortable.”

 

“Only the best for our special guest.” Major sang, moving past Jack after patting his shoulder and heading down the hall. “Have a nice shower.”

 

“Thanks.” Jack smiled, nodding his head and sliding into the bathroom. Just as instructed, he locked the door behind him and turned to observe his surroundings. The bathroom had a beach theme to it. There were little decorative knick knacks that had to do with shells, surfboards, and the likes scattered about. And surprisingly, it was pretty clean. Jack set his clothes down on the counter and started the water, setting it to a satisfyingly warm temperature.

 

Jack sighed softly as the water cascaded down his pale body, soaking his green hair and causing it to droop over his eyes. His fingertips navigated through his now damp locks, massaging the scalp. It felt good to be clean again. As Jack squirted some shampoo into his hand, he couldn’t help but smell the small puddle of the silky substance. Its smelled like pine and cinnamon. He could even detect some apple in there. What the hell was this shampoo’s scent called? Apple-pine-cinnamon? That sounded weird. Nonetheless, he lathered it into his hair and began scrubbing.

 

As the water began to wake him up, his thoughts started to rush around like customers at a Macy’s on Black Friday. Realization was slowly sinking into his mind, causing a flock of butterflies to erupt and scatter about in his stomach. Today was orientation. His first day at a new college within a new country. The day he’d be settling in at AMULA. He’d never been to America before this. Jack definitely had a lot to learn and see regarding people and places. Not only that, but the year was just starting for the students at AMULA. Summer had just ended, and there was a fresh batch of people coming from around the world. At AMULA, they held a special orientation. The website described it as “ _ Fun, interactive, and social! _ ” This encouraged Jack to have a mini anxiety attack about what the day was going to bring. Not only that, but there were going to be  _ hundreds _ of people at this so called “special” orientation. Jack and the other students were instructed to show up at 8:00 AM, but he already knew that traffic was going to be a bitch. So he and Pierce were going to play it safe. Jack planned to show up at 7:30 AM.

 

Or… so he thought. Jack was already running a bit late. He would have to scorn Pierce later for waking him up at the wrong time.

 

After scrubbing for a few minutes, Jack stood beneath the stream of water and allowed the shampoo to rush out of his hair, the scent lingering behind.  _ Everything’ll be fine, Jackaboy. _ He told himself.  _ Today’s only orientation. You’re cool. It’s all good.  _ Surprisingly enough, he started to calm down a bit. The warm water rushing down his head and into his face seemed to be helping. A smile graced his lips as he gradually became more awake. A chipper mindset was starting to take over his brain for the time being. Who knew a silly little shower could do so much?

 

After finishing his satisfying shower session and becoming cleaner than a child’s mind, Jack dried off and switched into his outfit for the day. He even spritzed a bit of Pierce’s cologne that was stashed in the medicine cabinet on his skin. It smelled decent enough, after all. Jack quickly brushed his teeth, using his other hand to tousle up his hair. It was drying at a rapid pace due to the steamy heat from the shower, killing two birds with one stone. Jack shoved his beanie into the back pocket of his jeans for the time being, making a mental reminder to put it on when his hair was completely dry.

 

When Jack flew out of the bathroom, he noticed that Brianna’s door was open. He didn’t bother to look inside, however. He had a time limit.

 

Within five minutes, Jack was out the front door with his suitcase. He had even pulled his beanie on. He felt rather proud of himself for being quick and precise. Brianna and Major each gave him a thumbs up from the porch as he and Pierce piled into the car.

 

“Good luck! You’re gonna do great!” Brianna called, jumping up and down with a wild grin.

 

Major cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, “Don’t fuck it up!”

 

It was then that Jack decided there are two kinds of people.

  
Nonetheless, Jack laughed and flashed his friends a grin, “No promises!”

 

They pulled out of the driveway, heading for Jamba Juice.

 

“I grabbed you a protein bar in case you get hungry later. It’s  _ Quest _ , so you know it’s good.” Pierce said, tossing the colorful snack into Jack’s lap at a red light.

 

“Oh, thanks! Don’t think I’ve ever had one of these before.” He murmured, scanning the label. Nope, definitely not. It was cookies and cream, though, and that sold him.

 

They pulled up to the small Jamba Juice in good timing, hopping out of the car. Whilst Pierce began unlocking the door, Jack pulled out his phone and opened the Pokémon GO app with excitement. He immediately caught two Rattatas and an Eevee. “Dude, Jamba Juice is fuckin’ loaded.” Jack commented, a pleasant smile now present upon his face.

 

“What?” Pierce asked, cocking a brow as he held the door open for him.

 

Jack showed Pierce his phone screen before wandering in. “Pokémon GO. Don’t ya play?”

 

“Oh, yeah.” Pierce responded, flipping the sign on the door to say “ _ OPEN _ ” and loping over to the counter. “What team are you?”

 

“Team Mystic all the way, baby.” Jack answered in a smug tone, closing the app and looking over at his friend.

 

Pierce wrinkled his nose as he slipped his apron on. “Gross. I’m Instinct.”

 

“You disgust me.” Jack hissed, his face scrunching up in a teasing manner. They both laughed.

 

“Alright, what do you wanna drink?” Pierce asked, pointing up at the menus.

 

Jack leaned back in his chair, blue eyes briefly scanning the cheerful menus. “I’m feelin’ chocolate. Got any of that?”

 

“You mean Chocolate Moo’d?” Pierce asked, running a hand through his short hair.

 

“Yeah, sure. That’s a weird name, though.” Jack chuckled a bit, already pumped for his smoothie.

 

A few minutes later, another employee came in and offered to take over while Pierce took Jack to AMULA. They thanked her and left with the smoothies, Pierce promising to come back once he dropped Jack off.

 

“She was nice.” Jack chirped, sipping a lump of delectable chocolate slush through his green straw.

 

“Yeah, Dana’s cool.” Pierce nodded in agreement, taking a sip of his own smootie.

 

 

They quickly arrived at AMULA, and as they drove up to the drop-off zone, Jack’s nerves attacked him out of nowhere. It didn't help that the building seemed to be bigger than Ireland itself, constructed of red bricks and freakishly large windows. His stomach churned like a gigantic pot of soup, and when he stepped out of the car, he fell to the ground like a dead weight.

 

Pierce immediately began to laugh hysterically from the trunk, popping it open with one hand and clutching his stomach with the other. “You okay, dude?”

 

Jack bounced up from the ground in record time, a grin worming itself onto his lips. “Yeah! I feel like a fuckin’ king right now!”

 

“Okay, your highness.” Pierce wheezed, tugging the suitcase out of the trunk with minor difficulty. He wheeled it over to an antsy Jack, shaking his head. “Did you really suck that whole smoothie down in fifteen minutes?”

 

Jack eyed the empty cup back in the car with a sheepish grin. “I guess so. My bad.”

 

“Hey, at least you enjoyed it. I’m not complaining.” Pierce shrugged, passing the handle of the suitcase over to his friend. “I’ll see you Friday night?”

 

“Yep! Wish me luck!” Jack nodded, giving Pierce a quick and somewhat awkward hug. “Thanks for everything, man. Seriously. I owe ya.”

 

“Just go already. You’ve got five minutes to get in there,  _ O Mighty King _ .”

 

“Oh, shit!” Jack exclaimed, ripping himself away from Pierce and taking off like a bullet toward the entrance. He managed to wave over his shoulder. “See ya!” He cried, hearing his friend’s faint response. Jack’s nerves bounced around in his stomach as he continued to sprint, the other approaching students watching him in alarm.

 

However, the poor Irishman didn’t get very far. Just as he neared the entrance, a hand reached out and halted him, gripping his shoulder. “Whoah there, boy. I’ll need your full name, age, and proof via ID before you proceed.” The source- a bald man in a black pressed suit with shades on- demanded. He looked like Agent 47 from the Hitman game series.

 

Jack’s chest heaved. “What?” He questioned, his thick eyebrows furrowing. “Why?”

 

The business-esque man held out some sort of card, and after squinting at it, Jack discovered that this guy was part of AMULA’s staff. “They don't just let anybody into this school, kid. Full name, age, and ID, please.”

 

“Uh, alright.” Jack exhaled, putting a hand on his hip as the man put his own ID away. “Seán William McLoughlin, 22 years old.” He answered, beginning to fiddle around in his pockets and search for his ID. Eventually, the green-haired man acquired his wallet and - therefore- his ID. He practically shoved it in the older man’s face, the balls of his feet bouncing ever so slightly with anticipation.

 

The staff member studied the ID for a long moment, raising a brow quizzically before grunting approvingly. Just as Jack thought he was set, the man held out a hand. “Just a minute.” He murmured, disattaching what looked like a small tablet from his fancy belt. Jack bit his lip, becoming increasingly aware of every second that was passing by where he wasn't inside the building that towered before him. He was going to miss all of the important information!

 

“Sir, I’m gonna be-”

 

“Aha! There you are! Preferred name is Jack, correct?” The other man interrupted, grinning at him as he halted the scrolling on his tablet. Sighing, Jack nodded and grabbed the handle of his suitcase. “You’re all set, then. Have fun at GAVA!”

 

“Wait- GAVA? What the hell is-” Jack was cut off by himself, a sharp gasp escaping his mouth as he was shoved from behind. Did he just get shoved by a  _ staff member _ ? His body collided with his suitcase, causing him to tumble to the ground. Luckily, it had somewhat cushioned the fall. As soon as Jack was able to fully process what had just happened, he jumped to his feet and whipped around to chew the man out--

 

Only to discover that he was gone. And so was the road. And the buildings. And everything else that had been there five seconds ago. In their place was a long, tall and flat wall that stretched as far as the eye could see. Its shade was a royal purple, and the surface seemed to bubble like a soft drink. Curious, Jack lifted a hand and stretched it out to the wall. It consumed his hand and made it disappear.  _ It consumed his hand and made it disappear.  _ Jolting into action, the Irishman tugged his hand back in a flash, an unmanly shriek sounding from his throat.

 

Oh. His hand was still there. But… where had it gone when it disappeared? Heart racing, Jack pushed his hand into the wall, then out. In. In… out. And back in again for the hell of it. And out--

 

“Dude. You’re gonna break the gap.” A voice all too close to him warned. Jack jumped, turning to face the intruder with wide and frightened azure eyes. The stranger had short and thick chocolate-brown hair with a noticeable streak of blonde in his bangs. He wore a t-shirt that depicted the ever-so-classic Princess Peach from the Mario franchise.  She had one eye closed in a wink, and her hand was outstretched as if she were blowing a kiss. Beside the brunette (he was going to dub that guy as “ _ Princess Peach _ ” for now) stood a tall and slender man with disheveled and brown curly hair. It looked awfully poofy in Jack’s eyes. He wore a long green coat, and his hands were shoved into the pockets.

 

“You okay, dude?” Princess Peach’s sidekick asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

Jack began to speak in a jumbled mess after taking a shuddering breath. “Oh, sure! I’m  _ completely  _ fine. I mean, it’s not like some bald dude just shoved me into a  _ purple wall  _ that wasn’t there five seconds ago!” He cried, gesturing it. “I mean- what  _ is _ this shit?! What the fuck is  _ GAVA _ ? And where’s AMULA? Y’know, the college I  _ came to America _ for? ‘Cause this isn’t it!”

 

The two men exchanged a glance and resisted the urge to laugh. “AMULA isn't real, man.” Princess Peach explained after a brief moment, meeting Jack’s eyes.

 

“I’m sorry…  _ what _ ?” Jack breathed, his mind spiraling into a pit of confusion and curse words.

 

“Oh God, he really  _ doesn’t _ know.” The stranger said in bewilderment, puffing out a breath of air and looking over at his taller friend. “Listen- AMULA is a lie. It’s just a pretty little disguise for GAVA.”

 

“You’ve gotta be shitin’ me.” Jack blubbered, his thoughts immediately jumping to the worst case scenario.

 

“He’s not. GAVA? Game and Virtual Adventure? It’s a gifted college that’s under secrecy. Literally. You can't see it or go inside of it unless you go through the wall. It’s in a different reality n’ stuff. Pretty sure Obama isn't even in on this shit.” Princess Peach’s friend started to explain, laughing a bit. “The website, the brochures, everything. It’s all fake. Hell, the students here even have an  _ assignment _ within the first week that requires them to write a bad review about ‘AMULA’ online. It draws less attention, I guess. People don’t wanna apply if it sucks.”

 

Jack’s head whirled. “Wait, so-”

 

The shorter man interjected. “No time. We gotta go. Orientation already started, I can hear the announcements.”

 

“Oh, shit. C’mon, Leprechaun, we’re gonna miss it.” The tall, poofy-haired man said over his shoulder as he began to jog over to the entrance. Princess Peach was quick to follow after him.

 

“ _ Leprechaun _ . Real fuckin’ original.” Jack rolled his eyes, grabbing onto his suitcase and taking off after the duo. Wait- what the hell was he doing, following these guys? He still had absolutely no idea of what was going on! The only thing he knew was that AMULA apparently never even existed, and his sister had plenty of explaining to do. But- Jack still hadn't gotten a phone for his time in America. Pierce had promised on the way here that he’d “ _ Hook him up for sure _ ,” so he wasn't too worried. But his answers were going to have to wait. He settled on emailing her as soon as he could.

 

The two strangers led him to a large, futuristic building that stood beside what Jack assumed to be the main one. It’s exterior- instead of the old, red bricks he’d seen before he’d passed through the wall- consisted of what looked like 8-bit blocks, giving it a game-esque appearance. It almost looked like it had been built out of literal Minecraft blocks, causing Jack to become even  _ more _ confused. However, fascination possessed his thoughts as he squinted at it, realizing that the blocks slowly changed color like millions of tiny night-lights. There was a large sign styled to look like an old movie theater marquee perched above the large doors that bore the name of the building.  _ The Auditorium _ . Interesting.

 

Jack quickly caught up with Princess Peach, grabbing onto his arm and tugging on it. “Wait, so how did I get here? Did I really jump dimensions or some shit?” He asked in a whisper-yell, the announcer’s voice becoming louder as they made their way through the front doors.

 

Princess Peach came to a stop near the second set of doors and looked over at his friend. “Go in there and save us some seats, Danny. Try to find Mark if you can. I’m gonna help this guy out.”

 

“Sure thing, dude. Good luck.”  _ Danny _ responded, waving at the two of them. At least he had one of their names.

 

As soon as Danny disappeared, the stranger stuck out his hand.”I’m Arin. I found out about GAVA because of my buddy, Ross. That's how I applied.”

 

Jack quickly took Princesss Peach’s- No,  _ Arin’s _ hand and shook it, his head still spinning at a million miles per hour. “Yeah, yeah, I’m Jack. But how did  _ I _ get here? I applied for  _ AMULA _ , not GAVA, or whatever ya call it!” He nearly cried, pulling his hand back and running it through his hair anxiously.

 

“Dude, just stop and chill out for a second. I’ll explain everything if you can do that.” Arin started, and Jack could tell the man was trying not to crack a grin. Was this all amusing to him?

 

“Alright, fine. I’m calm. I’m perfectly calm.” Jack told him, sighing softly and relaxing his tense stance to prove it. “Now talk to me. I need to know, like, everythin’.”

 

“‘Kay, so this is GAVA. Game and Virtual Adventure. It’s basically a college for games n’ shit. Programmers, digital artists, animators, game designers, and gamers alike all go here. But it’s secretive. Everyone that attended- or is currently attending- this college heard of it by word of mouth.”

 

“There's no fuckin’ way that's true.” The Irishman interjected in complete disbelief.

 

“Oh, it’s true. This place has been around since the NES, and even before that, probably. Everyone invites friends and family to go here once they graduate. Ross gave Danny and I the low-down and I applied right away.” Arin explained, smiling a bit.

 

“Okay, that's cool n’ all, but why is there a fake website?” Jack inquired, cocking a brow simultaneously.

 

The other man shrugged. “It’s for extra precautions, I guess. I dunno, man, I’m not in charge. This is my first day too, y’know.”

 

“Okay, but- the whole  _ gap _ thing. Or- the wall? How does that work?” Jack asked, his mind slowing down a bit and ceasing to whirl. He was getting some pretty decent answers so far. But he definitely needed a reality check sooner or later.

 

“It’s just what it looks like. GAVA has some pretty crazy shit in store, including advanced technology. For example, the invisible wall is advanced technology. When you pass through it, you end up on GAVA’s campus. It’s on a different reality plane. That's why it’s heavily guarded 24/7.” Arin sighed, putting a hand on his hip. “Are we done now?”

 

The green-haired man hesitated before heaving a heavy sigh, rubbing his face with the palm of his hand. “Yeah, I guess. For now, at least. I better stick with ya since I’m already confused as balls.”

 

“Hey- at least you got some answers, man. That's all I can do. Now c’mon, we’re missing the whole introduction and I’m gonna be just as confused as you.” Arin huffed, propping open the door. The voice of the announcer- or whoever it was- began to drift into his ears again.

 

The Irishman followed Arin across the rows of seats, ducking his head and whispering apologies to people who seemed bothered by their sudden appearance. The man on the stage continued to ramble, his hands flying about in wild gestures. Jack nearly slunk right past their saved seats when he looked up at the announcer, but Arin grabbed his arm and tugged him down into a cushioned seat. He fell into it with a small “ _ Oof _ ,” his hands gripping the armrests instinctively.

 

He could hear his new friends laughing, and Jack immediately felt embarrassed. Just as he was about to tune into the vital information, he heard someone clear their throat in the seat to his right. Danny.

“What, Danny?” Jack whispered, trying to at least keep his eyes glued to the man on the stage.

 

“Uh- it’s Mark, actually. And you’re  _ kinda _ holding my hand right now.”

 

Oh. Jack had been clutching the armrest, sure. But this guy-  _ Mark _ \- his hand had been on it, too. 

 

Oh, shit.

 

As if it had been planted on the surface of a stove, Jack’s hand sprung off of the armrest- no, Mark’s hand- and landed in his lap. Where it would stay.

 

Now Danny and Arin were snickering amongst themselves, watching the awkward encounter with gleaming eyes of amusement. Jack would get them back. Somehow. “Sorry.” He whispered to Mark, leaning back into his seat and heaving a big sigh. This day already sucked beyond belief. But, no, he had to go and grab some random guy’s hand as well.

“Don't worry about it. It’s okay to be gay.” Mark whispered back, causing the other two to snort. The Irishman swore he could see the other man’s grin glint in the darkness of the auditorium.

 

“I am  _ not  _ gay.” Jack snapped, his voice no longer a whisper. In fact, he’s sure their entire section of seating had heard his little outburst. A small ripple of laughter rippled through them, and his cheeks flushed to an even deeper shade of red. Hell, even the stupid  _ Mark  _ guy was laughing! It wasn’t that he opposed homosexuality- in fact, it was quite the opposite. Jack was still attempting to figure out his sexuality. And it definitely wasn’t straight. But he didn’t want to use any labels just yet. He hadn’t come out to anyone in regards to his questioning, after all.

 

“Oh! Do we have a volunteer for our orientation game?” The announcer chirped, walking to the edge of the stage and grinning. Who was he looking at? The green-haired man whipped his head around only to realize that everyone was staring at him. And as he turned back around, he realized that the guy on the stage was too.

 

The Irishman pointed to himself. “Me?”

 

“You!” The man shot back cheerfully, waving his hand as an invitation. “Come on up here!”

 

Seeing as the whole auditorium had their eyes on him now, Jack had no way out. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he stood up and made his way to the stage, hopping up the velvet steps and listening to the whispers that floated amongst the crowd. Jack walked across the stage, his legs shaking ever so slightly. As he stared into the face of his audience, he almost instantly spotted the person at fault.

  
And Jack knew one thing for sure: He was going to wipe that shit-eating grin off of Mark’s face as soon as his time on the stage was up.


	2. Roomies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What’d I do?” The Irishman asked, raising a brow and throwing the taller man a quizzical look.
> 
> “Oh, it’s nothin’.” Mark answered for Danny, stepping closer to Jack with a teasing expression. God, Jack hated his face so much already. “Nothin’ except for the fact that you were staring at me until Arin interrupted your dazed, gay thoughts. About me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the new chapter and let me know if you'd like to read more! We focus a lot more on the beginning of Jack and Mark's relationship in this chapter.

The announcer was more chipper than anybody Jack had ever met before. Besides himself, of course. The guy had an obnoxious and bright yellow mohawk. It glinted off of the lights, which really strained Jack’s eyes.

 

“So, buddy, what’s your name?” Mohawk man asked, holding the microphone out to Jack all too eagerly and nearly hitting him in the face with it.

 

“Uh, Jack?” It sounded like a question.

 

“WOO! GO, JACK!” He heard someone yell, and as blue eyes flickered about the audience, he quickly located the source. Arin, punching the air with his fist. Danny was clapping enthusiastically with a Cheshire grin whilst Mark was whistling. Damn, he hated that guy. Stupid Mark.

 

The announcer chuckled before pulling the microphone back and speaking into it a bit too loudly. “Allllright, Jack! Are you ready to play  _ Audience Buster _ ?”

 

_ Audience Buster? The hell is that? _ Jack asked himself, his eyebrows furrowing. “What’s that?” He asked aloud in a cautious tone, looking back at the older man with a skeptical expression.

 

His fellow students in the audience laughed. Had Jack said something funny? He felt like a deer in the headlights of a car. No, not  _ a _ car-  _ thousands _ of cars. One per student. Wonderful.

 

“Someone hasn’t been paying attention!” Mr. Mohawk chirped delightedly, shaking his head with a grin. Oh. That's why everyone was laughing. Well, if it hadn't been for  _ Mark the Loud-Mouthed Asshole _ , Jack would have a clue! “Don't you worry, Jack. We’ve gotcha covered. Y’see,  _ Audience Buster _ is a shooting game that gives all the incoming students- such as yourself- a taste of GAVA. We’ll give you a handy-dandy laser gun that’ll shoot electrical waves wherever you aim.”

 

“Doesn’t that shit hurt?” The Irishman asked, his voice getting picked up by the announcer’s microphone fairly well. The auditorium rang with a bit of laughter, causing the corners of Jack’s lips to quirk up ever so slightly.

 

“Well, yes- but not too badly! Anyone who’s uncomfortable with it has already left the building.” The other man replied, flashing him a grin that was brighter than his hair. Yikes. “So, Jack, our projector up there,” He pointed up toward the ceiling of the large building, “will cast a bunch of moving targets on the audience. You gotta shoot ‘em! The beam’ll send them a shock to remember, giving you some points. If you shoot and miss a target,  _ you _ get shocked instead.”

 

“I’m sorry,  _ what _ ?” Jack interjected, his eyes widening.

 

“Ruby, bring in the laser gun!” The announcer’s voice melted into a more dramatic tone, causing the students in their seats to hush. Meanwhile, Jack felt like he could pee his pants any second now. A lady with long, fiery red hair bounced onto the stage from behind the purple curtains. In her hands was a thick, futuristic-looking gun that had holographic focusing mechanisms and a flashing trigger. When Ruby handed Jack the gun, he nearly dropped it due to the sheer weight of it. The audience nearly roared with laughter.

 

“Careful there, Jack. That thing can deal some serious damage if you mess with it.” The announcer warned with a smirk, followed by nervous murmurs from the crowd. “Don’t worry, folks, it’s just a little jolt! There’s nothing  _ too _ dangerous that can happen!” He reassured them, chuckling a bit.

 

Jack situated the gun in his grasp, fingers inching their way toward the trigger. He was ready. “So, when do I start?”

 

“Now!” The announcer yelled, his smirk widening as hundreds of holographic targets appeared and hovered in the audience. Jack’s eyes widened, yet he quickly locked his gaze on a particular target. He shot at it mercilessly, a few gasps arising from the crowd. They soon turned into giggles of exhilaration, though, and he could see the people bouncing in their seats. The Irishman received his golden moment once a particular target appeared to stick to none other than Mark. A scheming grin spread across Jack lips as he pulled the trigger multiple times, sending at least five shocks to the bastard’s body. He could hear his girly screams from the stage, followed by the laughter of Dan and Arin.

 

His eyes flickered up to the timer. He still had about twenty seconds. Jack shot around at multiple targets, yet he always came back to Mark for another shot. When the timer shrieked, he lowered the gun smugly and turned to the announcer.

 

“Wow! Nice going, Jack!” Mowhawk man said, taking the gun and handing it off to the ever-so-bouncy Ruby. “You got about a hundred shots in! That’s a record! Did you guys enjoy that?” He asked the audience, receiving a roar of excitement in response. Jack couldn't help but chuckle.  _ Hey, that wasn't so bad!  _ The young man thought excitedly. “Now,” The announcer began, cutting off his thoughts before they could continue, “that’s just a smattering of what happens here at GAVA. You can expect the craziest experiences of your life. Now, get out of here and head to your dorms with your stuff! You’ve got until eight o’clock to unpack and get settled! See you all at dinner!” He finished, waving to the audience as it whistled and cheered. Both he and Ruby scurried off of the stage as the students began to stand up and chatter, rushing to the doors with excitement. Smiling to himself, Jack made his way to the stairs and hopped down them, ready to hunt down Arin.

 

Apparently he didn't have to. Jack literally ran into the man himself as he jumped off the last step of the stairs, gasping a bit. The guy had a thick chest, so he received a mild sense of pain from smacking into him.

 

“Wow. For a guy with decent aim, you suck at doing simple things.” greeted Arin, grinning from ear to ear as he took a step back from the other man. Jack’s luggage was with him, thankfully.

 

“Shut up.” Jack mumbled, embarrassed. Danny stood beside his friend, chuckling and shaking his head. And next to him was-

 

Mark. That bastard.

 

Immediately, Jack rushed forward and into Mark’s face, eager to wipe the doofy grin off of it with a swift punch. “Listen, dude- You may’ve one this little battle, but I’ll get ‘cha back. I swear it.”

 

That only made Mark laugh. “Do ya swear on your mum?”

 

“You’re not worth that kind of promise.” Jack responded cooly, causing Arin and Danny to chorus with a dramatic  _ “Oooooh!” _ and cover their grinning mouths.

 

“Not bad.” Mark nodded, still grinning. “But didn't you get me back a minute ago? You shot me, like, a hundred times. Isn't that fair?”

 

“No! It wasn't even a hundred times! It probably didn't even hurt at all, and you’re just a big baby.” The Irishman scoffed, stepping back and away from Mark.

 

“You’re absolutely right, Jack. He’s a fuckin’ fetus.” Arin cut in, chuckling.

 

“Wha- a fetus? What does that make  _ you _ , and embryo?” Mark countered, raising his eyebrows incredulously at his friend and trying not to laugh. Whilst the three of them launched into an argument about babies, the green-haired man began to take in the douchebag in front of him. The black shirt he was wearing hugged each and every muscle graciously. Jack could tell his hands had plenty of callouses even though they were clenching ever so slightly. Mark had a decent amount of facial hair, but the grin he wore made Jack want to smack it off of him. Hard. Not to mention that fluffy, crimson hairdo. Jack could throw some twigs into it and he’d surely start a fire. 

 

He made a mental reminder to throw a bunch of sticks at Mark’s head.

 

“-ack? JACK! Jesus, dude, c’mon! We gotta move!” Arin was waving a hand in front of Jack’s face, which made him flinch.

 

“You’re hilarious, Jack.” said Danny in a bubbly voice, shaking his head.

 

“What’d I do?” The Irishman asked, raising a brow and throwing the taller man a quizzical look.

 

“Oh, it’s nothin’.” Mark answered for Danny, stepping closer to Jack with a teasing expression. God, Jack hated his face so much already. “Nothin’ except for the fact that you were staring at me until Arin interrupted your dazed, gay thoughts. About  _ me _ .” He added quickly, the ends of his lips quirking up in a smirk.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with being gay, let’s just establish that.” Danny pointed out with a grin, giving Jack a suggestive look.

 

The young man paled. “No, no, no! I mean, you’re right, Danny. But I’m  _ not _ gay. I was just…” Jack trailed off, eyes scanning over Mark again briefly, “noticin’ that you looked even douche-ier than I expected. That, and your fly is down.“ And hey, he wasn’t lying. Sure, the guy looked somewhat attractive, but it didn’t phase the Irishman in any way. And that was honesty at it’s finest.

 

Mark was frantically fiddling with his zipper, an embarrassed look upon his face.

 

“Save your gay for later, we seriously gotta go. The dorms are gonna be really fuckin’ crowded if we don’t.” Arin reminded them, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans and looking away from Mark’s struggle with a laugh.

 

“Arin’s right.” Jack began with a faint hint of smugness to his tone, “save your gay for later,  _ Mark _ .” He finished, grabbing his suitcase by the handle and turning from the group. He strolled toward the entrance, rolling it along.

 

“What?  _ My _ gay? Don’t even try to avoid the obvious here, Grinch Jr.” Mark argued, following after the younger man with widened eyes after snatching his own suitcase. Dan and Arin exchanged a glance before following after the duo with their own luggage.

 

“You heard me. And really? Grinch Jr.? Is that the best you can do? That’s almost as worse as Leprechaun.” Jack questioned, throwing Mark a look as he continued to head toward the entrance.

 

“Yeah, it is! And it was a pretty damn good choice of a nickname, if you ask me.” Mark responded, keeping pace with him. 

 

“Well, I  _ didn’t _ . So keep your shitty nicknames to yourself.” Jack responded, causing a chorus of “ _ Ooooooh! _ ”s to sound from their friends behind them.

 

“Damn, Mark, he straight up wrecked you. Again!” Arin commented, chuckling a bit.

 

“It was easy.” Jack answered with a confident smirk, opening the door and walking out with somewhat of a cocky stride.

 

“Psh. Whatever, he sucks.” Mark mumbled lamely, trying not to smile as he put on some kind of mock-pouting expression. The group of students followed the crowd, and Jack couldn’t help but stare at nearly everything. The buildings each had their own touch, varying from multi-colored tiles to buildings that literally  _ breathed _ . No, seriously, it looked as if some of the buildings were alive. He’d definitely be visiting them later.

 

_ Okay, so maybe this college isn’t so bad. _ Jack thought to himself. It definitely surpassed what Jack had thought he’d been accepted into. The secrecy and the surprise also explained why he  _ himself _ didn’t apply. If the Irishman had the chance to attend AMULA instead of GAVA- even though AMULA technically doesn't exist- he’d stick with GAVA.  _ I mean- it was really fuckin’ confusin’ at first, but I could get used to this. ‘Sides, Sis can probably explain what happened. _ Jack reassured himself, noting that the other three were talking amongst themselves as they walked. Watching them talk made the Irishman think a bit more.  _ I’ve already got these guys as friends, too. I mean- that Mark guy is silly, but the other two are pretty cool. _

 

The group of students made their way toward the dormitories, it being it’s own large building. It’s exterior was a literal  _ screen _ . Instead of bricks or other normal materials for a building, it’s surface was like that of a TV. There were still balconies, but the walls surrounding them were capable of displaying anything on their surfaces. Right now there was confetti falling on loop, the rainbow flecks occasionally glinting off of the sunlight. It seemed to be the second tallest building of them all. After counting, Jack figured out that it was ten floors, not including the roof. He immediately wondered what floor his dormitory was on, and how they worked. Who would his roommate be? What would they be like?

 

Wait a second.

 

“How the hell am I supposed to know where my dorm is?” Jack asked suddenly, the other three pausing their conversation and looking at him.

 

“They have the listings posted in the lobby of Base.” Arin answered him. “It’s probably gonna be really crowded, but we can figure it out.”

 

“What’s Base?”

 

“That’s Base.” Danny responded, nodding his head at the confetti building. Jack looked at it once again, shaking his head.

 

“How do they do that shit?” Jack wondered aloud.

 

“Think of it as, like, a building with a TV for walls. A huge TV that’s shaped like a building and actually  _ is _ a building. They can play whatever they want on it. They could even play porn.” Arin joked, causing Danny to laugh.

 

“Why do you always result to that, dude?” Dan asked, watching Arin grin.

 

Before Arin could say answer the question, Mark cut in, “It’s not like that on the inside, though. That’s what I heard from Mat.”

 

“That’s so fuckin’ cool.” Jack murmured, tilting his head up as they approached it. The confetti continued to stream, filling the young man with a strong sense of excitement.

 

The four of them slipped into the building amongst the small crowd with their luggage, mutually surprised by the fact that the group of people by the listings was decreasing in numbers. Mark had been right, as well. The inside of Base had fuzzy walls that looked like the fur of a friendly beast. They were a lime green, and if Jack wanted to, he could probably walk right up to the wall and pet it. Displayed on the wacky walls were framed paintings of famous video game characters, including everyone from Link to Pikachu. The floors were smooth and wooden, which gave Jack the urge to take his shoes off and slide down the hall toward the elevators with his socks on. To say the least, he loved this place already.

 

“The crowd’s gone for the most part.” Dan noted, strolling over to the listings with squinted eyes. Arin and Mark followed after him, but Jack was still fawning over how utterly amazing the place looked. And, yes, he walked up to the walls and started stroking them. He must have been pretty engrossed in the activity, because when a hand grabbed his shoulder, he jumped with a startled yelp. The poor guy almost knocked over his luggage in the process.

 

“Jesus fuck, you scared me!” Jack exhaled, eyes wide as they took in the sight of a grinning Mark. 

 

“Sorry, didn’t realize you were so sensitive.” He jabbed, to which Jack muttered a “ _ Shut up. _ ”

 

“Wha’ d’ya want, anyway?” Jack asked, turning to face the redhead with a frown as he lightly smacked the hand away. “Did ya find my name on there for me or somethin’?”

 

“Sure did. I didn't have to look hard, though.” Mark hinted, his voice laced with traces of laughter.

 

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “What’re you sayin’? Was my name in bold or some shit?”

 

Mark’s hand gradually found its way back onto his shoulder. “Glad we could be  _ roomies _ this year.” He said with a touch of sarcasm, the corners of his lips curled upward.

 

Jack was beginning to rethink  _ everything _ .

 

“Where’s the department where I request a dorm change?” Jack asked Arin as he approached them, dragging his red suitcase along. Danny was still by the listings, enthusiastically talking to someone with a firm frown and shocking blue eyes.

 

“You’re stuck with him, Jack. The dorms here are completely final. Unless something really shitty is going on, you can't change ‘em.” Arin explained with a sympathetic shrug.

 

“Wait a minute-  _ stuck _ with me? I happen to be quite the guy, if I do say so myself.” Mark countered, putting his hands on his hips and pursing his lips. Jack’s annoyance for this man was increasing by the second.

 

“You’re the only one that says that, I’m sure.” The Irishman retorted, rolling his eyes  before striding off toward the elevators and pulling his suitcase along. God, this was going to be awful. Rooming with Mark? Of all people? Couldn’t he have gotten the super quiet kid? The outsider? The attractive one? Apparently not. Jack was stuck with Cringe n’ Muscles McGee.

 

“Wait up,  _ roomie! _ We need to talk about the future of our dorm!” Mark called after him, practically loping across the hardwood floor as he dragged his luggage along. The wood squeaked in protest every time one of Mark’s shoes pressed against it, creating an awful noise that ticked Jack off even more. With a quick glance down the hall, Jack confirmed that Arin had joined up with Danny and the other guy he’d seen. He was screwed.

 

“Don’t call me roomie.” Jack mumbled, looking over at the other man with reluctance before stepping inside of the elevator. Mark, of course, followed him in. “What’s my floor number?”

 

“ _ Our _ floor number.” Mark corrected Jack all too cheerfully, reaching his hand out to jab the button labeled  _ ‘10’ _ with his pointer finger, “It’s the tenth floor.” Jack huffed and waited, feeling the awkwardness begin to settle in the air between them. The doors to the elevator slid closed with a soft hum. They started moving up. Jack noticed that the elevator had shiny gold wallpaper, and each floor button was a different pokeball. After a closer look, he realized that the tenth floor was a master ball. How lucky was that?

 

Maybe Jack could just forget the events from earlier and try small talk. Yeah, he could do that, couldn’t he? Just as he parted his lips to speak, Mark cut in.

 

“So- where’re you from? Ireland, right?” Mark asked somewhat sheepishly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

 

Jack decided to tease him. “What, just ‘cause I’ve got this accent means I’ve got t’ be from Ireland?” He asked, raising a thick eyebrow as he glanced over at Mark. 

 

He nearly burst out laughing right then and there when Mark’s eyes widened in horror, realizing his ‘mistake.’ His cheeks became a bit red due to the embarrassment. “Fuck, sorry, I-”

 

“It’s fine, I was just jokin’.” Jack admitted, laughing to himself. “Yeah, I’m from Ireland. Born n’ raised. What about you?” 

 

“Oh, I’ve been to loads of different places.” said Mark. A loud, 8-bit tune chirped through the speakers of the elevator and interrupted him. It signified that their little elevator ride was over. The chip-tune sounded like a variation of the Tetris theme. The doors slid open right after that. The two of them stepped out with their luggage, glancing around with jaws slightly agape. There were surprises everywhere. Vending machines were dotted about the area, and colorful couches sat against the fluffy walls. It appeared to be the ‘living room’ to their entire floor. There were already tons of people running around, laughing and cheering enthusiastically. A couple of game systems were set up and connected to futuristic televisions as well, yet no one was playing them. They were all too busy with unpacking and exploring, Jack assumed.

 

Speaking of, Jack gripped the handle of his luggage tighter. They needed to do that, too. Not to mention setting boundaries and picking out where stuff went. “So, what’s our dorm number?” He asked, looking over at Mark with excitement. He couldn’t help himself, after all.

 

“104.” Mark responded almost immediately, already starting to make his way across the center of the living room. Jack followed eagerly, glancing at the numbers on the walls and smiling at anyone who met his eyes. After nodding his head toward someone with wild, orange hair, Jack crashed into Mark’s back, effectively crushing his own nose.

 

“Ow!” He complained, rubbing his poor nose and glaring at the other man’s back. ‘Why the hell did ya stop?” 

 

Mark turned around, trying not to laugh. “This is it.” He said, gesturing to the door in front of him. It was plain and white. Jack knew that their door- like the rest of the doors in this building- would undergo some extreme decoration. Not waiting for Jack to speak, the redhead gripped the silver doorknob with his free hand, swinging it open.

 

And holy shit, it was  _ huge _ . This was unlike any other dorm he’d seen before in movies, or  _ anywhere _ else. The beds themselves were king sized, from what Jack could tell. Hell, they made his guest bed back at Pierce’s look like a cot. Each of them had a different color theme going on with the sheets, blankets, and pillows. One was green, the other pink. Jack naturally made a beeline for the green one. He let go of his luggage and flopped onto it with a satisfied noise, his eyes fluttering closed upon impact. “Oh, god. It’s memory foam.” The young man announced, arms sprawled out over his head as if he were on a rollercoaster.

 

When he opened his eyes, Jack discovered that Mark had strolled over to the pink bed, sitting down on it with a satisfied noise. “I love it here already.” The redhead uttered, and Jack watched as his fingers traced the little wrinkles on the comforter’s surface. Smiling to himself, the Irishman studied his surroundings. The walls were flat, plain, and white. It gave Jack the urge to slap every poster he could find onto them. And he definitely would. Following the theme of the walls, the dorm room itself was plain and ready for customization.

 

“Okay, so this side of the room’s mine,” Mark suddenly said, looking over his shoulder at Jack, “and that side’s all yours. Fair, right?”

 

“Sounds like a deal.” Jack agreed, nodding. After looking around a bit more, he discovered another door on Mark’s side of the room. “Wait a sec- what does  _ that _ door lead to?” He asked, eyebrows knitting together as he sat up.

 

“That?” Mark asked, looking at the door, “That’s the bathroom.” He answered nonchalantly.

 

“A  _ bathroom _ ? We get our own bathrooms here?” The Irishman asked in disbelief bolting upright. “I thought we’d have t’ share it with the entire floor, like in the movies!”

 

Mark laughed a bit, watching as Jack stood up and made his way to the bathroom.  _ Their _ bathroom. “If this were a movie, I’d know. ‘Cause I’d be the main character.”

 

Jack snorted and opened the blindingly white door, a colorful little bathroom greeting him. The faucets were in the shape of the mushrooms from the Mario games, making him smile. The shower curtain had rupees of every color dotted across its surface, a touch from The Legend of Zelda series. There was even a little framed picture of Waluigi on the wall across from the toilet. That made Jack chuckle. Deciding he had seen enough for now, Jack stepped out of the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Mark was already unpacking, the innards of his suitcase spilling out across his new bed. “Main character, huh? What does that make me?”

 

Mark paused, shrugging his shoulders a bit with a smirk. He had a pair of white socks in his hands. “You’re that one side character that hates everyone. But, when you die, you confess that you really  _ did _ love everyone.”

 

“Wait, back it up for a second. I  _ die _ ?” The younger of the two asked, pointing at himself with wide eyes.

 

“Yeah! Don’t worry, I’ll avenge you.” Mark promised, setting the socks aside with a chuckle and grabbing a bundle of colorful wrinkled shirts.

 

“No thanks.” Jack responded with a short and sarcastic laugh. He walked past Mark’s bed and headed for his own.

 

They unpacked for a long while, putting a variety of things on their nightstands and working out where everything was going to go. They both didn’t have posters to put on the walls yet, so they were still bare. But their surroundings had grown in familiarity. Mark had an acoustic guitar propped up by his bed, and Jack put his lucky green lava lamp on his nightstand. It was the little things like those that lit up the room.

 

Once they finished unpacking their suitcases, Mark strolled over to the sliding door that led to their balcony. It rested between their beds, Jack noticed, and perfectly split the dorm in half. Jack wondered if the other dorms were like that, too. Mark pulled the blinds back and opened the door with a grunt. He left the screen door closed. “Let’s get some air in here.”

 

“Good idea.” Jack nodded, then stood up, straightening out his clothes. “So- we go t’ dinner now?” He asked, looking over at Mark.

  
Mark grinned at him. “We go to dinner.” He confirmed.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Any comments and/or kudos that you leave are loved and greatly appreciated by me. Feel free to check out my tumblr, bananwrites. I'd love to chat about nearly anything and make friends with you! REQUESTS ARE OPEN! <3


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